Faeryn
I watched as Graysen diligently gathered honeysuckles for tea across the field. I was filling my pockets as well, but seemed to be far less selective in my choices. My rule of thumb was simple: the more yellow the petals, the more inclined I was to grab it. Based on sampling five flowers, I decided the darker coloring indicated sweeter nectar.
Already done collecting my bounty, I let my fingers move through the energy of the air. It felt like pushing them through water. There was a faint pressure in all directions that sent tingling up my spine. Graysen didn’t really need to tell me these grounds were special; I felt it the moment I saw them from above. A mirage seemed to ripple across the field, creating a gentle twinkle of metallic dust.
The energy beckoned me to remove my clothing. I wanted to savor the magic in the air with every inch of my flesh; I needed it to seep into my pores and heal me. The cold autumn air might have been the only thing stopping me. As a compromise, I kicked off the shoes Graysen hadinsistedI wear. My chest thrummed as the bare soles of my feet pressed into the dark, rich soil. I couldn’t help feeling connected to something bigger—an ancientpower that nurtured this planet until the inhabitants of the world turned on it.
I brushed my fingers over the petals of the honeysuckle bush, blushing as I remembered Graysen comparing my taste to their nectar. Today’s distractions had been desperately needed for me to ignore the significance of what happened between us. IwishedI could believe it was strictly physical. His masculine charm had been calling to me; it would be easy to say I’d given in to my infatuation in a moment of weakness. What washarderto admit was that my feelings were far deeper than just… getting off. I hadn’t wanted him to put me down. Had he not lain me on our pelt bedding, I would have been content sleeping against his shoulder all day.
When he offered his body as a source of heat in the field, my heart spluttered, fearful of how badly I wanted that closeness. It wasn’t about the warmth. When he held me against his internal furnace, and I buzzed in my field-induced heightened state, it was all-consuming, overwhelming. It felt as if my past, present, and future were enveloped by his arms. When would I have my next excuse to sink into his embrace? After just a few tastes of connection with him I was thoroughly addicted.
“Are you ready to return to camp?” Graysen made his way to me. As he walked, stalks of amber grain brushed against his hips. The image was astonishingly beautiful.
“I am.” I smiled, although part of me wished we’d set camp here. Maybe when spring returned and fire wasn’t so necessary, we could indulge the idea. As much as I didn’t want to abandon plans of returning to Earth, I couldn’t fathom the idea that if I left for Earth, I would never feel the vortex of vitality brushing against the hairs on my arms again. The desperate voices disappeared the moment we flew above the invisibleboundary of the meadow. Surely it wouldn’t be the worst fate to build a little cabin here and never leave; Graysen’s offhand comment didn’t seem so ridiculous to me. I would welcome my complete lack of a past if it meant I could start from scratch without any haunting whispers. Besides, returning to Earth would mean losing Graysen, and I wasn’t eager to relive the grief I had felt in his absence last night.
I heard Graysen click his tongue, and I instinctively turned my head to the sound. A smile spread slowly on my face; the same dragon burst through the trees in our direction. A part of me had been quite sure we’d have to find another for the ride home.That must have been one good piece of beef jerky he gave it.
“Shall we?” His palm rested on the small of my back to pull me along, while his free hand stroked across its neck.
Once at the dragon’s side, he gripped both hands around my waist and effortlessly lifted me off my feet. In retrospect, he had displayed equal strength while I was in my post-orgasm stupor earlier. I blushed at the memory. I guess those muscles weren’t a bluff. Held a foot above his head, I easily grasped a spike and pulled myself the rest of the way up.
Graysen took a different route to get behind me. Once seated, two arms closed around my shoulders to encase me within his sturdy hold. It was hard to maintain neutrality over our dynamic when every interaction here forced us together. I’d miss this once we were back in town with no outside incentive to touch.
“Would you like to give the command?” His fingers flexed around two distinct charcoal scales that folded between his knuckles.
He wouldn’t have to ask twice. I gave a sharp kiss and bellowed “jahhah” with as much confidence as I could muster.My last attempt hadn’t been a fluke; the beast’s weight shifted, forcing me to lean back into Graysen as we launched into the open air. His presence was a comfort as I prepared for my body to lose its cosmic sense of tranquility and oneness. I was certain the nagging voices in my head were waiting just on the other side of the sacred perimeter.
Graysen gave additional commands I could hardly hear over the wind whistling past my ears. Without the threat of branches in my face this time, I enthusiastically looked behind me to watch the ground grow further and further away. Suddenly, the world was completely white and damp. I sat disoriented for a fleeting moment before coming to my senses. We were in acloud.
I was grateful to feel Graysen’s heat surrounding me. It made the cold moisture bearable and grounded me as we floated through mists of white and gray. I didn’t mind the gray so much, but the bright white ignited fear in some primal part of me. It reminded me of the dreams where the voices were loudest. I closed my eyes and turned my face into his neck, allowing his smoky aroma to keep my mind in the present.
“Are you okay?” His voice rumbled against my ear.
“The clouds are just a lot.”
I didn’t know how to explain the uncanny familiarity in the moment, but maybe with time I could provide context. It would be better if he knew about the night terrors. I worried they may be a long-term battle, especially as the novelty of life on Trebianna dwindled, giving me less excitement to hold my attention during the day and wipe me out at night.
“It’ll be over in just a moment, my dear.” A hand braved letting go of the dragon’s scale to stroke up and down my arm with a firm softness. “Try now,” he cooed.
My eyes blinked open to comforting clarity. Pale periwinkle stretched into the distance where two large pale planets sat, one with a hint of green and the other purple. If I didn’t know any better, I might have thought we were above a range of snowy mountains with rounded cliffs, endless canyons, and lofty peaks. I watched as two brown shapes,dragons, burst through the mist to roll around before disappearing back into the blanket of white. Fighting, or playing? I liked to assume the latter.
“Is it still too much?”
His voice brought me back, and I could feel the gentle touch of his hand on my arm again.
“No.” My lips parted breathlessly. “The view is amazing.”
“I’m glad.” His hand stopped to cup around my shoulder. “Enjoy it.”
Graysen had been slaving over our cooking pan for some time, our honeysuckle tea steeping off to the side. He explained the specific type of egg we packed was popular for survivalists because of its caloric density and adaptability. Apparently— depending on the heat applied, addition of water, and spices mixed in— it would create a variety of meal types with few ingredients needed. He hovered a flame in his palm above the top of the browning meal. It reminded me of a savory crème brûlée speckled with herbs. His other hand was all but inside the fire blazing beneath the cast iron, rotating the pan to help evenly distribute the caramelization.
“How does the whole fire thing work?” I asked, unable to resist my curiosity about his superpower. It was bizarre to holdback myvery normalconcern over his blazing flesh. He looked at me expectantly, so I elaborated. “Are you born knowing how? Do you learn? Does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt,” he stated without hesitation. “Pyran’s have skin made for the extreme heat. It would be a poor design on nature’s part, otherwise.” He grinned with amusement at the thought. “We’re born with the ability. It isn’t abnormal for an infant to burn a few cribs if you don’t invest in those specifically designed for us. It takes many years to control it well, especially with fluctuations in mood; there’s a lot of practice involved.”
“Do you know how it works?”
He hummed with thought. “As with many things that are scientific, there are probably explanations that aren’t provided to the general public. I can offer you the legend as an alternative, although it may not satisfy your curiosity.”
